2023 season thread

[Monster]

Well a nice start regardless of the teams they are playing. Hopefully they can keep it going.

The guy that's really rolling is Larnach. If he can stay healthy and hit that would be a pretty big deal for this team.

[FNG]

Well a nice start regardless of the teams they are playing. Hopefully they can keep it going.

The guy that's really rolling is Larnach. If he can stay healthy and hit that would be a pretty big deal for this team.

I've admired Larnach since he homered against the Gophers in the NCAA tournament a few years ago. What a gorgeous swing! Injuries have held him back, but there is no question he can hit if healthy.

I was pretty confident our pitching and defense would be quite good this season, but I wasn't quite sure about the hitting...I'm still not. We hit well yesterday, but I think the bottom of our lineup is weak and we lack a leadoff hitter. But I think there are two solutions out there. Royce Lewis had an OBP over .400 his final two seasons in the minors, and he's slated to come back mid-year. I could see him replacing Kepler in RF and leading off. Or breakout star and OBP monster Julien could possibly replace Polanco at 2b and be a terrific lead off hitter. I look for one or both of these moves to happen and really solidify our lineup.

[Monster]

Well a nice start regardless of the teams they are playing. Hopefully they can keep it going.

The guy that's really rolling is Larnach. If he can stay healthy and hit that would be a pretty big deal for this team.

I've admired Larnach since he homered against the Gophers in the NCAA tournament a few years ago. What a gorgeous swing! Injuries have held him back, but there is no question he can hit if healthy.

I was pretty confident our pitching and defense would be quite good this season, but I wasn't quite sure about the hitting...I'm still not. We hit well yesterday, but I think the bottom of our lineup is weak and we lack a leadoff hitter. But I think there are two solutions out there. Royce Lewis had an OBP over .400 his final two seasons in the minors, and he's slated to come back mid-year. I could see him replacing Kepler in RF and leading off. Or breakout star and OBP monster Julien could possibly replace Polanco at 2b and be a terrific lead off hitter. I look for one or both of these moves to happen and really solidify our lineup.

I do agree about the hitting although I feel a little better about being more safe from the bottom completely falling out and playing AAA or AA+ guys (not talking too prospects) in the field because there are no other options which happened last year and some the year before too. I think the pen is still a concern as well. Pagan's only appearance didn't exactly boost confidence in him.

Ultimately the hope is the Twins can avoid the injury disasters they have had the last couple years. It wasn't just the Majors it went through the next level too. There are already some injuries which are reasonably expected but hopefully the organization has depth and the injuries don't all happen at the same time so they are more easily weathered.

[Monster]

FNG stop being prophetic about the Twins hitting! Lol To be fair the Twins just faced 1 for sure REALLY good pitcher and another one that was very good last season. Yesterday they got hits but needed at least 1 more hit to break through.

Meanwhile that starting pitching continues to be fantastic.

[FNG]

FNG stop being prophetic about the Twins hitting! Lol To be fair the Twins just faced 1 for sure REALLY good pitcher and another one that was very good last season. Yesterday they got hits but needed at least 1 more hit to break through.

Meanwhile that starting pitching continues to be fantastic.

Ha, sorry...my fault! That was some nasty pitching though, although Larnach had two terrible calls against him in the 9th...those strikes were WAY outside.

Bullpen wasn't good yesterday, but I still love the pitching on this team. And the hitting is going to be good too mid-season once Kirilloff and Lewis are ready. Also either Polanco or Julien at 2b. That is going to be a really nice lineup, especially on nights when they have Buxton in center and let someone else DH.

[Monster]

Watched the extended highlights and while Gray gave up a run he was absolutely dealing and ended up with 13 strikeouts.

A couple plays showed me why Gallo is a gold glove caliber OFer. He almost nabbed a guy at 2nd and played balls well.

[Jester1534]

Bundy
Archer
Smeltzer
Chi chi Gonzalez
Aaron Sanchez

These men combined for 25% of the Twins innings pitched last year and 3/5 of them are out of baseball

They have been replaced by Pablo Lopez, Kenta Maeda and Tyler Mahle it feels great long as they stay healthy. But by no means don't underestimate how bad the starting pitching was last year.

Per Do-Hyoung park on Twitter

Sonny Gray, on the depth of the #MNTwins rotation:

"We're not constantly waiting to get back to the top of the rotation for a good outing or a good start. We've got five guys that, say I go out there and shit the bed, the next guy picks me up."

[Monster]

Bundy
Archer
Smeltzer
Chi chi Gonzalez
Aaron Sanchez

These men combined for 25% of the Twins innings pitched last year and 3/5 of them are out of baseball

They have been replaced by Pablo Lopez, Kenta Maeda and Tyler Mahle it feels great long as they stay healthy. But by no means don't underestimate how bad the starting pitching was last year.

Per Do-Hyoung park on Twitter

Sonny Gray, on the depth of the #MNTwins rotation:

"We're not constantly waiting to get back to the top of the rotation for a good outing or a good start. We've got five guys that, say I go out there and shit the bed, the next guy picks me up."

Good point. Another way to look at it which is also pretty bleak is those guys accounted for over 70 starts. Aaron Sanchez at least wasn't a complete disaster and he is available in the minors but there are other better options before they have to go there. I see Smeltzer just got called up to the Marlins. I can't help but hope he does well.

[Q-is-here]

Wow, good to see the Twins punch the Yankees right in the nose.

[60WinTim]

I hardly know anyone on the team!